Effort Lacking as Flyers Handed Shutout by Lightning

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

After losing back-to-back games for the first time this season, the Flyers next challenge was to avoid their first long losing streak. That was already going to be easier said than done without their second-line center, top-pairing defenseman, and against three of the top teams in the league.

Add in another injury down the middle and the Flyers struggles only continued on Tuesday night in Tampa Bay. The Lightning got an early goal, then really poured it on late in a 4-0 defeat for the Flyers.

It didn't take long for the Lightning to capitalize in this one. On their first shot of the game at 2:28, Zach Bogosian fired a shot that beat Carter Hart through a screen, going off the post and in to make it 1-0. 

The Flyers actually opened up a 5-1 advantage in shots, but still spent most of the first part of the period in their own zone, struggling to get much going. As the period progressed, they started to generate more zone time and create a few opportunities, but still could not finish.

Late in the period, they did get a power play off a delay-of-game penalty on Mikhail Sergachev. Through 20 minutes, shots were 12-6 Flyers. 

The Flyers failed to generate anything on the power play and the Lightning eventually took over the second period.

The Lightning made it a 2-0 game following a turnover by Joel Farabee. The Lightning were able to move back in transition, eventually getting the puck to Bogosian as he dangled through the Flyers defense and put the puck wide. He stayed with it though, and eventually got it across the slot again to Steven Stamkos at the side of the net. After having his first bid blocked, he put it home to add to the Tampa lead with his 10th of the season.

The Lightning got two power plays over the middle of the period, but did not score. Then with under four minutes to play, on another delayed penalty call, the Lightning padded the lead as Corey Perry scored from the side of the net. 

Through two periods, the Lightning had a 21-20 lead in shots. 

The Lightning continued to dictate the play in the third, and added another goal at 7:26 on a quick release from Alex Barre-Boulet off a face-off. That made it 4-0 and capped the scoring.

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 34 saves in the shutout win. Hart made 31 saves on 35 shots in the loss.

Stamkos finished the game with three points. Bogosian and Sergachev each had two.  

The Flyers are back on the ice on Wednesday night to take on the Florida Panthers at 7 p.m.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• TB Zach Bogosian (1) (Mikhail Sergachev, Pat Maroon) 2:28

2nd Period

• TB Steven Stamkos (10) (Bogosian, Ryan McDonagh) 6:43
• TB Corey Perry (1) (Stamkos, Sergachev) 16:17

3rd Period

• TB Alex Barre-Boulet (3) (Stamkos) 7:26

Game Statistics